---

---

The night passed and morning dawned on Sandpoint without further incident.  As the hour of ten approached, each of you made your way to the Goblin Squash Stables, where a beaming Daviren Hosk informed you that you should select a steed from among his finest beasts and that Aldern Foxglove himself would be making the purchase!  Daviren seemed very excited about having such a noble (and reputedly wealthy) customer.

But it is not only the prospect of profit that has lifted Daviren’s spirits today; it is your reputation as goblin hunters!  As you inspect the horseflesh and have your chosen steeds saddled and bridled with the finest in tack, the hunter kept asking you about your exploits during the goblin assault, how many goblins you killed, how they died, and whether you managed to obtain their names prior to their passing.

Only the arrival of Aldern Foxglove stemmed the tide of Hosk’s questions; when the noble appeared he bowed and moved back inside the building to his office.  Aldern greeted each of you warmly, informed you that he must finalize the sale with the horsemaster, and disappeared into Hosk’s office.  The noble was accompanied by two menservants and the seemingly omnipresent Tarvis.  Tarvis briefly inspected the cinching on each of your steeds to ensure it was done properly, then directed his companions to mount their horses even as he did the same with his own.

Aldern emerged from the stables, beamed a smile at the group, and leapt astride his large black destrier with the practiced ease of someone who had spent a great deal of time in the saddle.  “Shall we go, then?”  He offered, favoring Liseth with a special smile as he did so.

Aldern eagerly led you and his three servants out of Sandpoint, west over the Undercliff Bridge and along the southern banks of the Turandarok River.  It is only a mile-and-a-half ride to the Tickwood Forest, which is just north of the upthrust limestone escarpment known as Devil’s Platter.  Aldern informs you that the ride will take around half an hour.

The man proves to be a charming conversationalist, well read and possessing a seemingly endless array of stories about the high life in Magnimar.  After about fifteen minutes of sharing stories and laughs, the subject moves to the heroes who rescued him from the goblins.

“So,” said Aldern, looking back at them, “now that we are hunting companions, we should get to know each other better.  Where are you all from?”

---

---

Kellan had woken up early, the anticipation of the days hunt, the excitement of being assigned an investigation, and his date with Shayliss later in the day all urged his limbs to action in the dark hours of the morning. Bathed, trimmed and well fed on a breakfast of porridge, honey and corn cakes he had donned some sturdy work clothes and ran a whet stone over the blade of his pole axe before setting out.

He had fed Hakon four flakes of hay while he oiled up the tack and brushed the beast down. Loading his chain mail in one of the saddle bags, he filled the other with a meat hook, a few sharp knives and a few sacks in the case that they were successful as well as his normal day pack. He was just cinching things up when ten bells rolled around, looking eager to get going.

He had sat out during the selection of the horses, but was on hand to offer any opinions or advise should Pisca or Cato have desired any and was surprised to see that the fine white horse he had seen during he festival belonged to no other than Liseth herself. With the new horses saddled up he trotted out Hakon and felt the horse's eager energy as they rode out towards the Tickwood,

Kellan was just taking a sip from his skin when Foxglove asked his question, smiling a little.

"I was born and raised in Sandpoint...I have never really known anywhere else" he answered simply.

Cato was completely unsure how to prepare for the boar hunt ahead.  He had certainly been on boar hunts in the past, but didn't want to advertise the fact that he had grown up as a noble scion.  But he didn't want to ruin the rest of the hunt for anyone else, either.  He figured the rest may not have been on a boar hunt either, and Aldern would probably have servants carrying enough supplies to make it through.  Cato just brought his crossbow, and enough food and water to see him through lunch if need be.

The completed, Cato headed down to the stables.  He actually didn't know anything about horses, having always trusted the grooms at his family's stables to pick out a horse.  He pretended to give the horses a cursory inspection, but relied on Kellan's and Liseth's advice when it came to actually choosing an animal.  As the group set out, he found himself astride a medium-sized gentle chestnut mare named Frolic.

Cato's blood ran cold when Aldern, no doubt making friendly conversation, asked the group where they were from.  Cato could lie about such a thing, but on the off chance that anyone in their hunting party knew of the town he falsely named and pressed him for details or local contacts, his lies would be quickly exposed.  Korvosa was large enough that he could plausibly admit to not knowing anyone else who had lived there.  After Kellan finished, Cato quickly responded.

"I'm from Korvosa, and wandered across Varisia before ending up here."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:03, Tue 08 Oct 2013.

The early morning tracking expedition with Pisca didn't reveal too much in the way of information; Liseth was sad to find.  But she was sure to locate Sheriff Hemlock and share everything that she did discover with him before going off on her own to prepare for the day's ride.  It was too bad that Kerr couldn't join her after all; but neither he nor she were about to argue with Father Zantus when he said that he needed help cleaning up the mess in the Boneyard.  Kerr had volunteered to stay behind and help Father Zantus; after all Liseth was the one who had been invited to share in the hunting trip.

Before making her way to the Goblin Squash Stables Liseth stopped by the market in order to purchase some small provisions for the ride as well.  She did already own some traveling rations and other food, but that hardly made for a decent picnic.  So first she bought herself a knapsack then filled it with two loaves of bread, two ripe tomatoes, an onion, a pound of sliced beef, a block of cheese, and six apples.  Satisfied that everyone should be able to enjoy a decent picnic now, Liseth made her way directly to the stables.

She arrived wearing the same white dress as the day before, though it had been cleaned since then.  The extravagant necklace was not worn around her neck, and her hair, rather than being allowed to hang loosely, was tied behind her head in a ponytail.  The food-stuffed knapsack hung from her shoulders.

Liseth was thrilled to meet all of the horses that Daviren Hosk made available for their perusal, but she knew that she wasn't going to need a new one.  After all, she already had Heily.  Before going to retrieve her from the stables though, Liseth shared with Kellan and Cato what she and Pisca had learned from examining the area outside the Boneyard wall, "So, there was a ladder leaned up against the wall that they used to climb over, and we managed to follow their tracks back to a clearing in the woods that they used as a staging area for their attack.  I couldn't tell just how many goblins there was, but there was several of their monster dog tracks too."  She frowned, "We didn't learn anything else about the mysterious person that was with the goblins though, or find any leads on..." Liseth looked around to make sure that nobody else was listening.  After all, Sheriff Hemlock didn't want everybody to know.  She lowered her voice just in case, "Any leads on where they took Father Tobayn's remains."

After that she gave all of the horses a good inspection, perhaps surprising everybody present with just how much she knew about horses.  Liseth was quick to point out the qualities of each horse; its breed, how healthy and strong it was, whether it would grant a smooth and comfortable ride or a rough and jarring one, its personality (she didn't want any mean horses after all!), and other general information about caring for the horses.

Heily was given a nice brushing before Liseth walked her out to meet everybody.  The pure white horse was absolutely resplendent.  "This is Lady Heilagr, but all of her friends call her Heily.  Say hello Heily."

Heily dipped her head down and gave a whinny.

Then Liseth's attention was captured by Kellan's horse and she walked to the two of them, with Heily following behind her.  "That's your horse Mr Storval?  He's so handsome!  And strong too.  His name is Hakon?"  Liseth reached her hands up to stroke Hakon's mane, "Hello Hakon."  She turned to Heily, "Hakon must be as big as Drake, don't you think Heily?"

Heily gave a snort and her head shook.

"You don't think so?  Drake is bigger?"  Liseth looked between Hakon and Heily, "Maybe.  We'll just have to get the two of them together sometime!"

"Oh, hello Mr Foxglove."  Liseth greeted the nobleman after he made his appearance and smiled at her the way that he did.  He's not scary.  He won't be scary if you don't think that he's scary.  He's just being a polite gentleman.  She still wished that Kerr was able to come with her.

Liseth needed a little help to climb up into Heily's saddle; her small stature made it difficult for her to get atop Heily without assistance or a stepping stool.  Once she was seated on Heily, Liseth stored her new knapsack in a saddlebag.  When the group set out it became apparent that the girl, despite her love of horses, had very little riding skill.  She sat up straight in Heily's saddle and kept her hands on the reins, but rather than lead the horse Liseth allowed Heily to carry her; gently whispering to the horse to subtly guide her.

When the conversation turned to where everybody was from, Liseth was ready to respond when Kellan answered first.  His answer wasn't very surprising, she already knew that he was from Sandpoint.  Then Cato answered.  She was a more curious about Cato and his answer didn't alleviate the curiosity much.  She knew that Korvosa was a large city, the largest in Varisia, and his terse answer didn't explain much.

Then it was her turn.  She hadn't really shared with anybody in Sandpoint where she was from.  Not because she wanted to hide anything, but no one had really asked.  They had all just accepted her as Father Zantus's new acolyte.  "I'm from Galduria.  Well, not really Galduria, but a few miles outside of the town.  My family has a manor there, on the shore of Ember Lake.  Though I spent almost as much time at the nearby Temple of Sarenrae as at home when I was growing up."

OOC: I suppose an estimated value on the foodstuffs will need to be deducted from Liseth's funds.

Also, Knowledge (Nature) and/or Handle Animal to help Pisca and Cato pick out nice horses?  Not Heal though; it isn't polite to look a gift horse in the mouth!
This message was last edited by the player at 08:05, Tue 08 Oct 2013.

The early morning trip to the far side of the Boneyard wall hadn't been all that disappointing to the gnome.  After all, they found a ladder which proved that at least some of the miscreants who'd come over the wall couldn't climb much better than she could.  Finding the dog tracks clinched it, though.  If the goal had been a real attack on the town they would have sent these dogs in too.  It could have been much worse.

"Pony!"  The gnome knew little enough about horses, but that never stopped Pisca from voicing an opinion about something.  And that never stopped her from knowing what she liked.  Pisca made a beeline for a chocolate brown pony with white socks and a white star marking her nose.  "You are so beautiful," said the gnome as she stroked the soft hair of the pony's neck.  "I want this one.  I'll call her Annette Hannigan Pickleberry Cloud Manners, or Nettie for short."

And so Pisca set off with the boar hunting party mounted upon her pony.  Today she was dressed in her Shoanti leathers with one exception.  The big hummie-sized Cinderlander hat had stayed behind.  Instead, the gnome's strawberry blond hair was bound up in a dashing scarlet headscarf worthy of a most dreaded of pirates that ever dared the Fire Swamp.  It's been no secret that the gnome had been raised in Kaer Maga.  But what was new -or, perhaps not so new- was her familiarity with Korvosa.  Pisca pounced as soon as the young wizard named the city as his own.  "Cato!  Do you know my Great great great great uncle Geezlebottle?  He's an instructor at Theumanexus College in East Shore.  I can imagine you must have tried to apply there.  Unless you went to the Academae."  The gnome's mention of the rival -and bigger- institution of arcane learning, her voice grew dismissive, disdainful and full of distaste.

Fortunately for Cato, the gnome continued to yammer on, introducing Kaer Maga as the freest city in all of Varisia.  She spoke of growing up with her Aunt Hattie who loved all things Varisian and ran a little parlor in Down Market where she gave Harrow readings.

---

---

Aldern Foxglove nodded and smiled, following intently along with the others’ history as he guided them closer to the Tickwood Forest and its impressive boars.  For a while he was content to allow his companions to do most of the talking, just asking for a clarification here or making a short interjection there so that they knew he was paying attention.

He raised an eyebrow at Liseth’s description of her family’s estate.  “Your family has a manor?”  He asked with a note of surprise.  “Are they landed gentry of some sort?  I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, given how well-manored you are.”  He winked.  “And in Galduria!  I have a business associate who attended the Twilight Academy.  Did you ever visit?  He describes it as, if you’ll forgive me,” the noble could not hold back a smile, “a magical place.”

He turned to Pisca.  “Your aunt gave Harrow readings?”  A brief cloud passed over his features, then vanished.  “Do you have the skill?  Have you met Niska Mvashti?  I know she is quite talented with the deck.”  He coughed.  “Or so it is rumored.”

OOC:  Thanks to Liseth’s expert assistance Cato has picked out a nice horse; Pisca chose Nettie from the heart.  :)

---

---

Kellan suddenly felt very, common. It was not a bad feeling per say, he was proud of what he had accomplished, and of his family and Sandpoint, but he was suddenly acutely aware of the kind of company he was keeping. Liseth had apparently come from the well off, and Cato had come from Korvosa and was schooled in the arcane to boot. Pisca, while not seeming to come from money did possess stories of far off places and family members who taught at institutions, exciting stuff.

And of course there was Foxglove, who had been willing to buy four of The Goblin Squash's finest stock without a blink of an eye just after paying for a custom banquet with generous gifts. He silently wondered what that sort of life must be like, what Foxglove and the rest of the nobility had been doing when he was pitching hay, harvesting crops or mucking pens as soon as he could lift the shovel.

Kellan was sure that there was some lesson here, Old Deadeye probably had a thing or two to say about an honest days work, and he was the god of the hunt after all. Suddenly Kellan smiled in nostalgia as he remembered Proudsnout, the massive legendary boar who was said to walk by Erastil's side. He had loved tales of Proudsnout as a boy, even if the church itself did not possess much literature on the beast he had imagined several of his own scenarios with his siblings while feeding the hogs on his families farm.

That sealed it for Kellan, he was suddenly itching to start and full of a good natured competitive spirit. If Foxglove wanted a boar, he was going to need to get down in the dirt and brush to beat Kellan to the prize. Hakon seemed to sense the change in his riders demeanor and responded in kind, stretching out in his gait and pawing at the grass when they paused.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:16, Tue 08 Oct 2013.

"*Gives* Harrow readings," Pisca corrected.  "Harriet Tenpicky is one of the finest Harrow readers in all of Varisia.  Me, though, Aunt Hattie has tried to teach me.  But I had the wrong sense of decor for it," she added.  About Madam Mvashti, the gnome said nothing.  Though whether that was intentional or not was unclear.

"Thank you, by the way, Aldern, for buying Nettie for me."  And the gnome stroked the pony's neck for what must be now and uncountable number of times.  "She's such a beautiful pony."

"Err, how exactly is boar hunting supposed to work," she asked, and her eyes scanned the forest for any animals who might just happened to be boars.

---

Perception check, please.  For boar.

Liseth wasn't sure what to think about Mr Foxglove's reaction to learning of her family's estate.  Even Kellan looked as though he was caught off guard by the information.  She had never really thought about things like that before; how other people would react to her family's status.  Everyone in Galduria already knew them and coming to Sandpoint was the furthest from home that she had ever traveled.  But being nobility had never been important to her; and Liseth started to wonder why so many people put so much stock in things like that.  Would Kerr think that it was important?  She hoped not.

She nodded to Mr Foxglove's questions of her, "My family owns lands near the manor and along the shore of Ember Lake."  She paused to think, "Um...I don't know exactly how much land though.  You would have to ask Daddy."  Liseth changed the topic to the question about the Twilight Academy; she didn't know much about the estate's affairs anyway.  "I have visited the Twilight Academy a few times.  When my Uncle Cedric was still studying there.  It was...very different.  Sometimes a little spooky.  Uncle Cedric tried to teach me things about magic but I never really understood what he was talking about."

"Daddy didn't like Uncle Cedric much,"  Liseth frowned, "I'm not sure why.  He was always so nice to me.  Maybe because he's a wizard.  Like Mr Crispin.  Although I never saw Uncle Cedric throw acid before."  A pause, "Maybe that's why he left on his travels..."

"I've never thought of being nobility as anything special though."  Liseth changed the topic again, "Everyone is just who they are.  Daddy always said that it isn't money, lands, or titles that make people noble anyway.  But what they do, how they act; how they...treat other people."  She seemed unaware that stating something like that could be interpreted as quite the insult to a nobleman.

At the mention of Harrow readings, Cato perked up.  "That's right, Pisca.  You and Lunk were in front of me at the Sandpoint Festival outside of Madame Mvashti's tent.  I remember you weren't in there very long, and never had a chance to ask you about it.  I never had a Harrow reading before that, so didn't have any basis for comparison.  Brodert certainly thought it was a waste of time, but I thought it was..." Cato went silent for a second, trying to find the right word.  "Well, interesting at the very least.  I think she might have predicted the four of us battling goblins, though it's much easier to judge her predictions as accurate in hindsight."

---

---

“You are most welcome, Pisca,” Aldern replied gallantly to the gnome’s thanks. “And may I say that you are quite becoming mounted upon your noble steed.”  He gave her a wink before turning to Liseth.

“I knew you came from a landed family!”  Aldern looked at the young acolyte triumphantly.  “And I am well aware of how the nobility generally act, Miss Thoradin.”  He nodded, then sighed.  “More than most, actually.  And I must agree with your father that the nobility of the person is not necessarily reflected by their title.”  He grinned.  “Although I have to hope that members of the nobility are not completely irredeemable when it comes to personal virtue.”

The nobleman gave Cato a searching look as he discussed his Harrowing.  “Madame Mvashti is well known for her talent with the deck.  If she gave you a reading, it would be good policy for you to pay close attention to what she said.”  He looked over at Pisca in surprise.  “Did you have a reading as well?  If Madame Mvashti Harrowed you both, I would be a little astonished if she did not predict your meeting.”

Aldern shook his head, as if to clear it.  “But your readings are your own, to share or keep as you wish.”  He sounded as if was reciting a well-known truism.  He was silent for a few moments, as if pondering something of great importance.

The hunting party was now entering an area notably thick with trees.  As the forest deepened, Aldern waved a hand around at their arboreal surroundings.  “Now is the time to answer Miss Pisca’s question!  Boar hunting works like so.”  He addressed the whole group as he held out his hand, into which Tarvis placed a wicked-looking longspear.  “The plan is this.  We shall find one of the famous Tickwood boars.  We shall carefully approach it.  These beasts are ill-tempered and quite territorial, so it will no doubt charge us.”

Aldern held up a hand, as if he expected outrage or objection to such a bold plan.  “Fear not!  For Mr. Storval and I are going to do most of the dirty work.”  He grinned and nodded respectfully to Kellan.  “When the beast charges, Kellan and I shall impale it upon our polearms.  But boars are tough; that may not be enough to kill it.  So Cato and Pisca can attack it at range while Kellan and I hold it at bay.  If things go terribly wrong, Mikel and Josin,” he nodded to one of the menservants; the other one seemed to have disappeared, “will jump in and help us; Liseth can heal any injuries.  Once the boar is dead, we will proceed triumphantly back to the Rusty Dragon to enjoy the fruits of our conquest.”  His voice brooked no doubt that such a triumph was in the offing.

“Are there any questions?”  Aldern looked around as one of the manservants came racing back down the path, bringing his horse up next to the noble’s and talking to him in a low voice.  Foxglove’s face broke out in a radiant smile.  “Outstanding!  You’re a good man, Josin,” he said to his retainer before wheeling around to face the party once more.  “There’s a boar not too far ahead, rooting around to the left of the path.  Shall we hunt?”

---

---

This message was last edited by the player at 05:55, Thu 10 Oct 2013.

Cato found himself nodding along as Aldern explained his views on nobility.  How had his opinion of the man changed so much?  Cato sighed.  His life might have turned out much different if his own family could have been more like what Aldern was saying.  Though it sounded like the man's families might have had its own demons as well.

Cato blushed at his potential faux pas regarding the Harrow reading.  "Sorry, Pisca.  I didn't realize that Harrow readings weren't meant to be shared.  Of course you don't have to tell me what happened.  I was just remarking on an interesting coincidence."

Cato listened with half an ear to Aldern's explanation of the boar hunt, trying to look interested.  At least he wouldn't have to control a pole-arm.  Cato's own father had tried to make him do that a few times before giving up in disgust.

Cato carefully took out a bolt and loaded his crossbow.  "I'm prepared.  Let's just hope we don't have use of Liseth's healing.  We're the heroes of Sandpoint, after all."  Cato gave the group a wide grin.  "We shouldn't have trouble with a simple boar."

"Harrow readings are like any aspect of fate, Cato."  Pisca withdrew her attention from the surrounding forest.  "Some things are best kept to one's self.  Some things you want to share with people.  Sometimes only certain people.  That's why reading the cards is a responsibility as much as it is a skill or a gift.  Those who hold the keys to destiny carry a heavy burden," said the gnome, reciting words told to her by her aunt.  "There are charlatans out there, but most readers treat things very seriously.  They hold the have great respect for the cards."

Pisca swung her leg forward over the horn of the saddle and slipped from Nettie's back to the ground.

"As to Madam Mvashti," the gnome shrugged, "First the seed, then the trunk, then the leaves on the breeze," the gnome replied.  "Wherever the leaves may be blown, they're still of their tree."  The gnome turned to her pony then, leaving things as though fully explained.

"You stay here, Nettie," she said, stroking the soft pony nose.  "This sounds dangerous, and you're a gentle pony.  Aren't you?"

"Alright.  I'm ready to go."  The gnome drew her bow, nocked an arrow, and began creeping in the direction that Aldern Foxglove had indicated.

"Everybody can achieve redemption, Mr Foxglove."  Liseth seemed to have missed that he was probably joking.  This was a topic very close to her heart.  "Some people require a lot more work than others, but no one is irredeemable."  She grabbed the holy symbol that she always wore around her neck, "Sarenrae teaches that if even your greatest enemy can be redeemed, then they should be."

Liseth looked at Mr Foxglove's spear when it was handed to him.  She pointed at it from the back of Heily, "That looks a lot like the spear that Nivlak uses when he hunts for boars.  See the cross guard just past the spear point?  That is supposed to keep the boar from being able to reach you after you stab it."  She placed her hand back on Heily's reins, "See, Boars can be really mean, and usually stabbing them only makes them meaner.  So if you use a normal spear, they can run all the way up the shaft and still get you with their tusks.  Sometimes they can still get past the cross guard though, especially if it is a big boar.  That's what Nivlak says anyway."

She merely nodded when Mr Foxglove laid out his plan for the hunt.  She certainly hoped that she wouldn't need to heal anybody, but Liseth also knew that boar hunting was very dangerous.  Lots of people used dogs, and there was good reason that hunting boars with a spear instead was considered a test of bravery.  An enraged boar could easily kill an unlucky hunter.

"Oh, already?"  Liseth was disappointed at how quickly a boar was located.  She was actually looking forward to spending more time riding through the Tickwood, maybe even enjoying a pleasant lunch in the forest shade before the hunt really started.  But she did feel excitement and anticipation, as well as a bit of apprehension, at the drawing confrontation.  She always had wanted to go along on a boar hunt before, and here she was.

Liseth watched Pisca dismount Nettie then looked down at Heily.  Heily had never been on a boar hunt before either, and she wasn't as bold as other horses like Drake and Hakon.  Liseth wouldn't want Heily to be scared of the boar when it charged.  But being on foot was very dangerous, especially for Liseth since she was so slow and awkward thanks to her cursed legs.

Stroking Heily's beautiful mane while she thought, Liseth decided that she would stay with her horse.  Heily shouldn't panic if Liseth was sure to keep her away from the boar when it charged Kellan and Mr Foxglove.  But Nettie might get into trouble if she stayed behind all by herself.  Liseth spoke to Pisca before the gnome disappeared into the underbrush, "Ms Freemish, Nettie should be tied to a tree before we go.  If she hears us fighting the boar up ahead, it might spook her and she could run away.  Then we would have to find her in the forest."

With that Liseth said a prayer, "Erastil, greatest of all hunters, grant us your blessing that our hunt may be swift and successful.  Bless the boar that we seek and know that we bear it no malice."  Then her hands rose into the air as she called down a blessing from Erastil.

That done Liseth had Heily slow so that she was behind Cato's horse Frolic and well behind Kellan's and Mr Foxglove's horses.  She didn't plan on actually getting close to the boar, and hopefully Heily wouldn't become frightened.  Keeping that in mind, Liseth leaned forward and gently whispered encouragement to the pure white mare while continuing to gently stroke her mane.

OOC: I cast Bless.  I hope that it takes less than a minute for Kellan to engage the boar!

Also, is it possible to use the 'Push an Animal' function of the Handle Animal skill for me to get Heily to act as though she had combat training for the duration of the encounter?  Looking at the DC on the action, success is unlikely anyway.  But I would like to try.

Kellan listened as Foxglove explained the process, nodding here and there at certain points. Dismounting he walked over and hefted the boar spear, taking in the balance and weight. He felt at ease with poles arms in general and felt a faint surprise at how light the weapon was in relation to what he normally carried.

Looping Hakon's reins around a nearby branch, he took a long draw from his water skin then donned a set of supple leather work gloves. Pausing to take in the sights and smells of the forest, he listened to the faint breeze rustling the branches and the calls of the various woodland birds, watched a squirrel clamber up the side of an old oak. It all seemed a fitting backdrop for Liseth's prayer, and in turn he closed his eyes and dipped his head in respect and affirmation of what she had said,

Looking over eventually he gave a knowing smile to Josin. The servant seemed to have taken care of the difficult work of finding the boar and left the party with an event that seemed to Kellan more like a "boar kill" than a "boar hunt". All the same the young guardsman felt eager to get going, waiting for the others to ready before they started trekking up the path.

"Lysa," the gnome explained to the human, "if I tie Nettie to a tree she won't be able to run away if she's scared.  I wouldn't do that to her.  And if she runs away and gets lost, of course we'll have to go look for her."  Very curious, the way humans think sometimes.

"You're ... you're ...  Wait.  You're not going to attack the boar from on top of your horse, are you?" she called after the others.  "Isn't that two against one?" Pisca continued, ignoring the fact that it was already several times that number against the lone boar already.  If that's what we're after, we might think of digging a pit so that we can lure the boar inside and then stick it with spears from above.  Much safer that way," she suggests.

Then the gnome turns her eyes to the forest around her, peering about for spies that might be listening, lest they reveal the boar trapping plans to the boar herself.

---

Perception check, please.

"Well, I suppose we could run it down with horses, but if it get's into the thick brush we would have to dismount anyway" Kellan mused as they walked "Digging a pit would take forever, and I'm not sure what you would bait it with...acorns maybe?"

His eyes scanned the ground for sign as they walked, glancing up and and then for the boar that Josin had spotted. "If you wanted to be sporting I suppose you could face it one on one, toe to toe, but if you want pig tonight the spear gambit is the surest way to dinner"

Kellan's tone made it obvious that he was on the side of having pork for his evening meal

"You, you, you, and you."  With a stern look, the gnome pointed a finger at four distinct spots in the surrounding foliage.  "Ssshhhh.  I'm watching you," she said in warning.  Then she snapped back to her bow, increasing the tension on the string as she tracked to her right.  Her attention was directed at a rustling of the bushes in the distance to the front and slightly left of the party.

"Doesn't look as though we'll have to lure it after all," said the gnome.  "Though I think I could probably have made the sounds of a truffle vendor."  Then, "Hmmm.  That sounds like a big animal," she added.

---

---

“Don’t be too sure of that, Cato.”  Aldern Foxglove gave the wizard a grim smile.  “The mighty boar has bested the hero and the commoner alike.  Largely, I think, because the hunters did not respect their prey.  This is the boar’s country; we are hunting it on its own turf.  If there is anything we should NOT do, it is to take the boar lightly or assume that our victory is guaranteed.”

The noble looked at Liseth with a mixture of fondness and sadness as she expounded upon her belief that, with enough work, all could be redeemed.  “Unfortunately, not everyone can be saved, Miss Thoradin.”  He dropped his head, as if borne down by the weight of whatever thought had occurred to him.  He looked up with a glint in his eye.  “And I believe that is a good thing, because there are many whose acts do not entitle them to such redemption.”

Aldern’s high spirits returned as Liseth explained the use of the hunting spear.  “That is it exactly, Liseth.”  He beamed.  “Nivlak is clearly an experienced hunter.  Is he a relative?  You should heed his wisdom in such things.”

He then turned his attention to Pisca.  “Digging a . . . pit?”  The noble’s raised eyebrow and dismissive tone clearly communicated what he thought of that idea.  “Where is the sport in that?  No, we must hunt in the traditional fashion; man versus boar.  And woman versus boar.  And gnome versus boar.”  He grinned.  “Just as the gods intended.”

They approached the area where Josin had indicated a boar was foraging.  “But no, we shall not be fighting the beast from horseback; that is a sure path to injury for both us and the horses,” Aldern continued his boar-hunting seminar as he dismounted.  “At least Kellan and I will not be.  Tarvis here will be leading the horses to safety while we encounter the boar.”  He handed the reins of his steed to his aide.  “You three,” he indicated Cato, Liseth, and Pisca, “are welcome to stay mounted, but I don’t recommend it unless you are experienced riders.  If the boar spooks your horse, you will need some skill to keep it under control.  Give your reins to Tarvis if you wish to proceed on foot.  As our fearless gnome has noted, I believe our quarry is in the bushes just ahead.”

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This message was last edited by the player at 06:19, Fri 11 Oct 2013.

"Take care of Nettie, please," called Pisca to the minion of the human noble.  Then she crouched low in the grass and began creeping further to her right, hoping to get the drop on the animal.

---

Stealth check, please.  Also ...  Is a Ready Attack possible?

Kellan glanced to Pisca then lowered his spear, stepping off to the left of the path and beginning to crunch softly over the duff littering the forest floor. He was hunched over, brushing stray branches out of the way with the haft of his weapon as he approached the area where Josin claimed to have seen the boar.

Inwardly his heart rate was beginning to pick up as the excitement of the hunt took hold. His eyes were fixed on the undergrowth in front of him just waiting for something to come charging out.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:04, Fri 11 Oct 2013.

Cato cautiously dismounted his horse and handed the reins to Tarvis.  He nodded to Aldern.  "Yes, I probably wouldn't be able to fight from horseback, especially if Frolic here got spooked."  Cato gave a lopsided grin.  "I was barely able to stay mounted when we splashed through that stream earlier today."

Cato stretched his legs a little, and quieted down, eyeing the foliage ahead for signs of a killer boar.  It was hard to keep Kellan and Aldern in front of him and the expected path of the boar, while at the same time keeping a clear line of sight for his crossbow to be used.

"Nivlak is my brother."  Liseth nodded to Mr Foxglove, "He is a Paladin of Sarenrae you know; and a really strong knight."  She lowered her voice conspiratorially, "Daddy actually tells me that I am a better tracker than him though; he taught us both what we know about hunting and tracking."  Her voice returned to a normal conversational volume, "But it's okay.  Nivlak is a really skilled fighter, and boars aren't usually difficult to find.  Lots of times they find you!"  Liseth smiled, "Besides, Nivlak says that most of the things that he really hunts don't try to hide.  Evil monsters, undead; they usually don't try to stay hidden."

Liseth was once again torn with indecision when Mr Foxglove offered to have his man lead everyone's horses away.  She stroked Heily's mane again while frowning in thought.  Liseth really didn't want to leave her, and she was afraid that being on foot would make her vulnerable; especially if the boar saw her.  But she also didn't think that Heily was ready to see a fight, and Liseth didn't think that she would be able to control her if Heily panicked.

"What do you want to do Heily?"  Liseth finally leaned down and asked her horse what her opinion on the matter was.

Heily held her head up high and snorted, looking in the direction that the boar was supposed to be waiting for them.  Then she seemed to shy away and walked towards the other horses.  Heily snorted, making a 'Brrrr' sound, then nuzzled Hakon.

Liseth laughed, "Mr Storval look, Heily and Hakon are already friends!  Heily says that she's scared of the boar and wants to stay with him."  The girl patted her horse, "Okay Heily, you stay with Hakon."  Liseth dismounted, sliding down Heily's side the land gracelessly on the ground.  "Oof."  She straightened her skirt.

"Here you go Mr Tarvis," Liseth handed Heily's reins to Mr Foxglove's aide.  "Thank you for looking after Heily.  And you," She turned from Tarvis and looked up into Hakon's eyes, "You make sure that you keep Heily safe Hakon."  Liseth wagged her finger at Hakon as though scolding the stallion, "If anybody hurts her while we're gone, you're going to be in trouble."

With that the young oracle walked back to the hunting group.  Liseth was still wary about being on foot, but Heily had made it clear that she didn't want to leave the other horses to see a scary boar.  She saw that Mr Foxglove and Kellan were already advancing to where the boar was supposed to be, and Pisca was creeping through the underbrush on the flank.  So once again the girl made her way to Cato's side, though she remained slightly behind him.

"You don't think that the boar is too big, do you Cato?"  Uncertainty crept into her voice and Liseth didn't even seem to notice that she had called the wizard by his first name this time.  "I've heard of boars as big as horses.  I certainly wouldn't want to see one that big.  Even a small boar is very fierce."

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“A paladin of Sarenrae?”  Aldern sounded impressed at Liseth’s description of Nivlak.  “Your family really does have a tradition of service!  Which is strange coming from the nobility; most such families have done things to attain and maintain their lofty stature that would be the total antithesis of service to Sarenrae.”  He grinned at Cato.  “Am I right?”

“Okay, let’s hunt this boar, shall we?”  He smiled at Liseth as she expressed her concerns.  “Hopefully it won’t be horse-sized.  Just big enough for supper is the ideal.”  He looked over at Kellan.  “Okay, Guardsman Storval, as we move forward stay near me.  I have a pretty effective hog call, if I do say so myself.  Once I call it, the boar should charge, whereupon we attack it with our longspears.”  He raised his own weapon as an exemplar.  “Setting it against the boar’s charge might be a good idea, if you don’t fancy getting knocked off your feet.”

Aldern looked at Cato, Liseth, and Pisca.  “The rest of you can support us at range.  Ready?”  After looking around for any final questions or last-minute objections, the noble turned and led the party deeper into the brush.

The group had not traveled more than fifty feet before encountering a mid-sized clearing.   Rooting around at the opposite end of this clearing was a boar of truly impressive size.  The beast’s size was even more impressive once everyone realized that all that stood between them and the the boar's wicked-looking tusks were a couple of spears wielded by an nobleman of indeterminate skill and a teenage guardsman.

“WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO PIG SOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!”  The hog call that emitted from Aldern Foxglove was so loud and utterly unexpected that the entire rest of the group jumped in the air.  The piercing call certainly got the boar’s attention.  It immediately turned and, with an enraged snort, charged the group.  You could feel the thundering of the approaching beast’s hooves as Kellan and Aldern set their spears to receive its charge . . .

OOC:  Everyone gets one attack on the boar before its charge breaches the spearwall.  Good luck!

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---

Kellan gave Liseth a smile normally reserved for his little sister as the young Acolyte warned his Destrier, replete with wagging finger. And just like his little sister he was willing to forgive her feminine ways taking some of the edge off his testosterone fueled spear hunt.

Getting his head back in the right frame of mind as they stalked, he could not help but give a open grin at Foxglove's spirited hog call, not hesitating to followed up with a resounding "YAH PIG! YAH!" As he cocked one boot sideways then grounded the but of the spear into the newly formed hollow. Leveling the wicked spike towards the gigantic hog he bared his teeth and leaned into the weapon, confident that the hundreds of pounds of muscle, gristle, fur and tusks would come on with a fury.

00:44, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 18 using 2d8+8. Brace Damage.
00:42, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 17 using 1d20+5. Boar Spear, Braced, To Hit + Bless.

OOC: Not sure if I doubled the damage correctly

You can talk to them too?

Pisca almost broke the first rule of how not to be seen.  She almost stood up and called out to Liseth and Heily.  But she remembered two things in quick succession.  First was that she was, in fact, attempting not to be seen.  And, second, was that she had somehow somewhere along the line, lost the knack of speaking with animals.  So, asking whether Lysa could talk to animals *too*, wouldn't necessarily be the most meaningful of questions because Pisca could not in good faith include herself.  It wasn't really anything that she'd felt too keenly.  Until now.  Even more so when the humans began their pathetic pig calls.  What self respecting pig would answer to those?  That the boar had broken from cover spoke more to its indignance than to any desire to converse, she had no doubt.

But the gnome said nothing until the giant boar had thundered by in a flurry of pounding hooves.  Pisca stood, pulled, and released all in a single smooth movement.  With a whistle of air, the arrow caught up to the charging boar and buried itself in the pig's left buttock.

"You're doing it all wrong!" the gnome called out then.  She then gave a series of grunts and a high pitched squeal.  "That's how to say, 'I'm tired of vegetables.  Please come to me.'"

---

00:04, Today: Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 25 using 1d20+6. Hit  (+3 +1Bless +1AL +1PB).
00:05, Today: Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 3 using 1d4+2. Damage (+1AL +1PB).

This message was last edited by the player at 17:30, Sat 12 Oct 2013.

Cato had barely recovered from Aldern's explosive boar call when the beast came charging at their two-man spear wall.  Cato watched as Pisca's arrow sailed forth to strike true.  The wizard tried his best to steady his arm, but the only thoughts in his head were of the massive boar stampeding over his companions and goring its tusks into the mage's thin frame.

Cato exhaled, extended his arm, and tried to hold everything steady against the thundering charge of the boar.  He squeezed the trigger, and, against all his instincts, momentarily closed his eyes.


OOC:
13:49, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 1 using 1d8.
(Keep choosing wrong damage, but that probably misses.)
13:48, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 11 using 1d20+3. Ranged Attack + Bless.

Liseth might have talked more about her family and Sarenrae, and her brother, but she realized that this was pretty far from the proper time for such a conversation.  The teenaged girl merely nodded when directed to provide support from range.  Looking up at Cato next to her she watched as he prepared his crossbow, then down at her own empty hands.  What kind of support was she expected to provide?  All that she could do was heal people's injuries; and every time she did that she wished that it was the last time that she would ever need to.

Filled with contending emotions, anticipation and apprehension, excitement and dread, Liseth did her best to stay close to Cato as the group crept forward.  And then the boar was spotted, "Oh..."  Liseth's eyes widened and she whispered, "Erastil...you didn't have to bless the boar that much..."

Realization suddenly hit her as she jumped in alarm at Mr Foxglove's taunting of the boar in order to get it to charge at them.  Why her father and brother never let her go along with them on any of their hunts.  Because all of the reading, all of the learning, all of the stories that she had ever been told, never prepared Liseth for an actual boar, a large but thankfully not horse-sized boar, charging madly in her direction.  Even with a pair of spearmen between her and the animal.  Now she was glad that Heily had had the sense to stay behind.

With a light gasp Liseth stepped more fully behind Cato as he fired his crossbow and peeked past him at the carnage that was about to ensue.  With one hand on her divine symbol and her eyes fixed on the boar, she prepared herself to protect the wizard should the boar decide that it wanted to ignore Kellan and Mr Foxglove and come towards him and her instead.

Readied Action: Cast Sanctuary on Cato if the boar charges towards us.

OOC:  Since it probably has to go through him before it can get to me.  Hopefully.  I was going to refresh my blessing, but I guess everyone is still blessed.  That's fine by me!

---

---

The boar crashed through the bushes directly towards Kellan.  Why it went after Kellan instead of Aldern was a mystery; perhaps it was attracted to the glint of his armor, or maybe he found the guardsman's smell offensive.  Either way, the boar's furious charge allowed Kellan to make an attack worthy of the finest, most-experienced hunters; he buried his braced spear deep in the beast's chest with an expert strike that should really have killed it.

Unfortunately, the boar's ferocity seemed to keep it from understanding the seriousness of its wound.  It simply kept charging, ripping Kellan's spear out the side of its shoulder and avoiding the crossbar as it lowered its tusks to punish its tormentor.

The boar's incredible toughness seemed to shock and surprise everyone, especially Aldern, who had apparently expected the boar to crash into HIS spear, rather than Kellan's.  He quickly unbraced and hefted his spear to stab at the boar, but it was too late; the boar had already moved inside his reach as it pursued its single-minded attack on Kellan.

As the boar ripped Kellan's spear out of its shoulder, leaving a gaping wound, Pisca appeared on its flank, as if out of nowhere, and let fly a smooth bowshot that buried an arrow into the boar's other shoulder.  But Pisca's pinprick did little to slow or even distract the boar, who finally closed with Kellan even as Cato's acid dart went flying harmlessly over its head.

Fortunately for Kellan, the guardsman was able to dodge out of the way as the beast's 200-pound body slashed its wickedly-sharp tusks through the thin air where he had so recently stood.  The animal clearly had fight left in it, and as it turned its bloodshot eyes on Kellan, everyone knew this was a struggle that could only end in death.

OOC - 22:17, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Really Angry Boar, rolled 6 using 1d20. Initiative.
22:11, Today: The Raconteur, for the NPC Really Angry Boar, rolled 16 using 1d20+6. Gore Attack on Kellan.

Roll Initiative - If you beat a 6 you may make an attack on the boar.

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This message was last edited by the GM at 05:26, Sun 13 Oct 2013.

Pisca moved in and fired into the boar's flank again.  This time, the arrow buried itself deeper.  The gnome pursed her lips and dimpled her cheeks.  Something just didn't seem right about this.  The boar had done nothing wrong.  And they weren't exactly going hungry.  Why not eat turnips?

---

00:05, Today: Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 18 using 1d20+4. Imitative.
00:05, Today: Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 18 using 1d20+6. Hit  (+3 +1Bless +1AL +1PB).  -4 Penalty firing into melee.
00:05, Today: Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 4 using 1d4+2. Damage (+1AL +1PB).

Kellan just barely managed to take the impact of the beast onto the spear without stumbling or loosing his grip.  The others could see his muscles quivering as the boar thrashed and writhed it's way closer with every movement. Teeth still bared he twisted the spear into the wound with a grunt as Pisca's signature fletching bloomed from the boars flank. Something in Kellan seemed to sense the primal significance of the struggle, the almost divine cycle of predator and prey playing out before him.

00:19, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 5 using 1d8+4. Boar Spear Damage.
00:18, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 7 using 1d20+5. Critical Confirm.
00:18, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 25 using 1d20+5. Reach attack - Boar Spear + Bless.
00:16, Today: Kellan Storval rolled 18 using 1d20+2. Initiative.

This message was last edited by the player at 08:56, Sun 13 Oct 2013.

Liseth found that her eyes had closed themselves moments before the boar reached Kellan.  She couldn't fathom how he would be able to withstand the charge of such a large, enraged animal.  Even with her eyes shut together tightly Liseth still winced at the sound of the impact, when boar met spear.

Cautiously, she opened her eyes.  The squeals of rage made it apparent that the boar was still active; and she gasped at the blood gushing from the massive wound in the creature's chest.  But through some miracle Kellan remained unharmed.  She only hoped that this trend would continue.

But what, if anything, could she do to help?

03:50, Today: Liseth Thoradin rolled 3 using 1d20+1. Initiative.

Cato winced as the boar's tusks bored into Kellan's shoulder.  He quickly leveled his crossbow and fired another bolt at the boar.  Without waiting to see if he hit, he pulled out another bolt and quickly reloaded the weapon.  He wasn't sure how much it would take to put down this boar, but it looked like Kellan was going to need all the help he could find.

OOC:
14:06, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 18 using 1d20+6. Initiative.
14:07, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 2 using 1d8. Crossbow Damage.
14:07, Today: Cato Crispin rolled 14 using 1d20+2. Crossbow Attack.

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Aldern managed to recover quickly as the boar pressed its attack on Kellan.  He stepped back and thrust his spear into the boar’s unprotected flank, scoring a solid hit as he plunged it between the beast’s ribs.  A second later, Pisca’s arrow, Kellan’s spear thrust, and Cato’s crossbow bolt hit home simultaneously, piercing the boar’s tough hide.  The boar’s eyes widened and Kellan, who had perhaps a more up-close-and-personal view of the boar’s angry visage than he would have preferred, could hear its labored breathing and see flecks of blood in the red-stained froth about its mouth.

The boar’s wild eyes showed that it still had the will to attack despite the incredible punishment it had already endured.  But its injuries finally caught up to it; it stumbled as it attempted to gore Kellan, then fell heavily on the ground, dead.

“That was amazing!”  Foxglove was flushed with the excitement of the hunt as he slapped Kellan solidly on the back.  “Are you sure you’ve never been boar hunting before?  I’ve seen men with years of experience who wouldn’t have held up as well as you did to that charge.  Perfection.  Just perfection!”  The noble turned to the other hunters.  “You ALL did very well!  I think we can be justly proud of our accomplishments.  I propose that we take this impressive animal back to the Rusty Dragon, where we,” he grinned, “can regale all and sundry with inflated tales of our bravery and prowess.”

OOC:  Pisca, Kellan, and Cato ALL rolled an 18 for initiative.  What are the chances, lol?

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This message was last edited by the GM at 02:07, Mon 14 Oct 2013.

Kellan watched as the boar's life ebbed away, feeling the slap of Foxglove's hand on his back brought him around and he grinned. They were succesful.

"Thanks Mr. Foxglove, that's pretty high praise" he looked to the others with a nod before he stooped and drew his dagger from his sheath. He knelt next to the boar's body and gave an almost affectionate pat before he stroked it's course furry hide. He leaned in close and said sonething too soft to hear before he drove the blade with no small effort into the side of the creatures neck. Using the spine as a fulcrum he worked the blade around to open it's throat before he sat back and wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand.

"There must be over a hundred pounds of usable meat on this thing...it's a wonder they grow so large out here."

He took in the moment smiled to the others "Good work guys, and ladies...of course" he litterally nudged Pisca with an elbow as he stood.

"I'll walk back and get some knives and the hook so we can quarter it..."he explained as he turned to do so

Pisca trotted up behind the big, dark animal.  With a small pink hand she patted its flank as though it were still alive.

"Yes, that's right.  *Ladies*."  The gnome repeated the word with emphasis while at the same time nudging back at Stomper with a grin.  "Isn't that right, Lys?  Gentlemen, ladies and gnomes.  Except ... "  She came around the front of the beast.  The head tipped at an unnatural angle on its massive neck, and its giant snout lay in the grass.  "Except ... that ... it should be ... the other way around."

With a frown on her face the gnome approached the hog's head.  "Desna take you to the porcine stars," she said.  That each of the boar's eyes was as big as the gnome's hand was apparent when she closed each one in turn.  Then, squatting next to the boar's head, Pisca hooked her fingers in the corner of the boar's mouth and hauled upward.  She strained with hands and arms and legs and back to shape the boar's final face into a smile.

When the gnome stepped back, however, she found her efforts all for naught.  The jowly jowls of the massive boar sunk back to the ground, obeying the unwritten law of the gods that all things must fall back to the earth unless imbued with powerful magic.

"He didn't look like a very happy person anyway," Pisca commented with arms akimbo.  She then proceeded to watch with great interest as the men went about the strenuous -and quite bloody messy- work of skinning and carving their fallen foe.

A hand went to her chest when the boar finally collapsed from its extensive injuries.  Liseth watched as Kellan knelt next to the fallen boar and gave it the final coup de grâce before she approached the scene of the brief but violent battle.  She still couldn't believe that nobody was injured.

"Thank you Erastil."  Liseth spoke softly as she watched Pisca attempt to compose the dead boar's features, "We honor the spirit of this animal and hope that it finds final peace in your domain."  She bowed her head, "We give you our thanks that you saw fit to grant us a successful hunt and that none were wounded during the battle with the boar."

"That was more frightening than I imagined it would be."  Her prayer of thanks finished, Liseth turned away from the boar.  The sheer amount of blood leaking out onto the forest floor gave her a slightly queasy feeling.  She looked at Kellan and Mr Foxglove with their spears and her hand went back to her chest, "I don't think that I want to go on another boar hunt.  One is enough for me...I'll stick to trapping rabbits."

Kellan came trudging back with his pack slung over his shoulder, animated and full of energy after the excitement of the hunt. Dropping the pack he took a long draw from his water skin and offered it around before capping it and setting it to the side. Smiling at Liseth he nodded to her sentiments. "I said much the same thing once, believe it or not, when I was very young..." He began

Taking out the meat hook he strung the bit of rope through the eyelet and tossed the coil over a stout tree branch to hang it. "We were slaughtering hogs for the winter, getting ready to salt them and selling the choice bits, it was just maybe the second or third time my mother allowed me to be out there while the men worked." He tied the knot good and firm. "My brother and sister and I were lined up along the pens watching as they drug the hogs into the barn kicking and squealing...and as we were not helping per say, we got a little bored and started tossing pebbles at the pigs to see them run around...it get's a little slow, working a farm you see" he grinned a in nostalgia.

"Well..." He let the hook dangle then stooped for an oily cloth wrapped around a bunch of simple, sharp iron knives, short curved things with twisted wrought handles and notched blades "We were tossing these rocks when I turn around to see the back of my Grandfathers hand, and he knocks me to the ground so hard my teeth rattled. He snatches up the three of us by the collar and real quite like...he tells us a story"

"Was a time" he said "A Taldan King was in the habit of feasting every day, he would wake up to the finest banquets and fill his belly before he slept, and never once did he consider where those meals were coming from. Well the wars got bad and the servants got scarce and one day he finds himself alone in his Castle and hungry as a bear in autumn, so with an empty larder, he goes hunting."

Kellan stripped down his shirt and shoes as he spoke, hanging them on branches in his bare feet with the little motes of forest dust clinging to his sweaty form "So he walks out into the woods and he finds a doe nibbling on some grass, and he commands the doe "You there, animal, come here so that I may eat you!" Kellan used his best pompous king voice "and the deer, being a deer, bounds off into the woods"

The next day he goes out and he finds a stag surveying his domain and he yells at the stag, being very hungry now "Stag! Come down here so that I may eat you!" And the stag of course runs away..."

Kellan stooped, and with the help of the others he lifts the boars limp form up onto the hook where it continues to trail dark crimson blood, getting himself covered in the stuff as he worked, he continues to tell the story as he begins to skin the creature, running the sharp blade just under the hide

"Well by this time the King was very weak from hunger, and stumbling home confused he sees a campfire tended by and old peasant man, and collapsing near the fire he voices his dilemma to his new host "Why will these simple creatures not obey their superiors? He lamented, "We are smarter, wiser and superior to them, why will they not submit to their natural role and lie down to die" the old man chuckled, but said nothing,

"The third day the King goes out, weak now from starvation, unshaven and his royal robes in tatters and he is wandering through the wood when suddenly he hears this great whooshing over head, and this great scaled Wrym crashes down amidst the forest, the trees shattering and bending beneath his weight and he eyes the King, who proceeds to run as fast as he can in the other direction"

Kellan spilled the gut pile beneath the hook, helping out the coils of intestine and ofal with his bloodied hands "And the dragon calls out to the King "Why do you run little lordling? You should submit to me, I am smarter, wiser and superior ito you in every way, it is the natural order of things"

"Well the King gets eaten" Kellan laughed and wiped the blade on a rag "and my Grandfather explains to me that just because we eat them, does not mean that we do not treat them with respect. He made me help with every hog that day...and I could not eat meat again for what felt like some time, but I do think I learned something...about our place in this world."

He smiled to Liseth as he finished up, quartering the hog into manageable chunks and plopping the huge tusked head into a burlap sack.

"That's horrible!"  It might be that Liseth saw Kellan's story from a different perspective, "That poor King.  Everybody left him all alone and he didn't even know how to take care of himself?  And he goes hungry for all of those days...only to be gobbled up by a mean dragon when he is just about to learn his lesson?  How awful..."

"I'm sorry Mr Storval.  I didn't mean that your grandfather's story was awful."  Liseth seemed unable to pull her eyes away from the butchering of the boar; despite wanting to do just that.  She was transfixed with morbid fascination as the animal was transformed into more familiar and cookable sections of meat.  "I know that people have to kill animals in order to eat meat, and I would never be disrespectful to anything held in such high esteem by Erastil; or any of the gods."

She paused, remembering the image of the boar charging wildly, "I just don't think that I'm cut out to hunt big animals like that.  That boar could have run over me without knowing that I was in its way, even if I had a spear.  I've trapped rabbits before, even a small wild pig once.  And I don't mind catching fish either.  But I think that I should keep a good distance from animals that can trample me."

Cato stood by and mostly watched as Kellan skinned and prepared the boar, stepping in to lend a shoulder or an arm when Kellan required, but mostly the local guardsman seemed to know his way around, and with help from Aldern's porters, the boar was butchered and prepared with relatively little work from him.

"It's not just having respect for the other animals, though.  It's more than a little sobering when you see how much a boar looks like a goblin on the inside...or a human for that matter."

Cato went silent again as he remembered the blood he had seen spilled, and how much like the boars it had all looked, running into the thirsty ground.

---

---

“Sometimes facing our fears lets us find as-yet-untapped reserves of strength within ourselves,” Aldern observed to Liseth as he and Kellan skinned and quartered the boar.  “Then again,” he grinned, “sometimes such exploits end in injury or death.  So maybe prudence is the better course of action after all.”  He looked down at the prepared boar as he stripped off his skinning gloves.  “I must admit that trapping rabbits has its own rewards, with fewer risks.”  He smiled at her.  “And I, for one, prefer you untrampled.”

He looked around at the group.  “I had no idea that you were all such deep philosophers!”  He laughed.  “Especially you, Mr. Storval!  I should take you to Magnimar so that you can convince the poncy fops who hold power there of the great merit in respecting those who serve you.  Be it the animal that graces your plate or the human who prepares it.”  He shook his head.  “For my part, I enjoy the hunt because I swore to myself never to become like those men.  I would always remember the effort, skill, and courage required to survive in the natural world.”  He looked lost in thought.  “There are some who have long forgotten.  They tend to use people as if they were tools, as means to an end rather than as ends in themselves.  Using people in such a way can be dangerous.”  His eyes flashed.  “It can easily make enemies of those who should be your most loyal retainers.”

“But enough of such dark musings!”  The noble’s boisterousness suddenly returned.  “Let us mount up and return to Sandpoint like the conquering heroes of old!   Tonight the Rusty Dragon will resound with the tales of our bravery and prowess!”

Aldern’s menservants loaded up the skinned and quartered pig onto one of the horses; you then began the uneventful return to Sandpoint.


OOC:  If you all wish to have further conversation between yourselves or with Aldern, you can certainly do that; just let me know when you're done.  Otherwise we’re going to move to split threads for the afternoon before you all gather again in the evening.  I’m going to create a thread for Cato and his talk with Aeren Barett.  Not sure if we need one for Kellan’s call upon Shayliss, but Kellan PM me and we can talk about it.  If Pisca and Liseth wish to do anything special just let me know, otherwise you can just PM me with what you’re doing and can jump straight to the evening meal.

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Pisca Neep Freemish returned to her gentle pony.  "Yom yom yom yom," the gnome chattered on in what was, without a doubt an entirely one sided conversation with the animal.

"Oh, by the by," she said, turning the conversation to the humans, "I'm still not very much satisfied with the way the town guard is investigating the goblin attack.  I think I'm going to ask around a bit.  Any interest in coming, Lys?"  Pisca lifted her face to the human girl riding on her horse.  "Bet we make a good team."

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Diplomacy check for Gather Information on any known clerics or religious types (specifically those bound to Lamashtu) who might have a grudge against Desna or Father Tobayn.

Cato remounted Frolic and joined his companions for the ride back to town.  After the moments of stark terror from the boar hunt, his exuberance was returning, helped by Aldern's sunny disposition.  And they did have a great deal of boar they had brought down, as well as each other's company.

"Thank you again, for all of this Aldern.  It's quite refreshing to see that not all nobles are alike."

When the group approached Sandpoint again, Cato waved goodbye to the group.  "I'm going to go see the Barrets, and see if I can help Aeren at all.  Not all of the damage from the goblin attack is physical, after all.  I look forward to enjoying the boar tonight!"

OOC:
Fine with moving on.

Liseth was grateful to be back astride Heily and she whispered to the white horse while stroking her mane.  "You were right Heily, I should have stayed with you.  That must have been one of the biggest and meanest boars in all of Tickwood.  It was a miracle that nobody got hurt."

Looking up from Heily when Pisca spoke to her, Liseth tilted her head as she listened.  "Well, actually, I wanted to go and check up on Ms Katrine Vinder.  You know, the lady that was almost killed when those goblins tried to burn the Cathedral."  She frowned, "It's been a couple of days and I'm sure that her wounds are all better by now; but lots of people don't handle things like that very well.  I want to make sure that she is still okay."

"If nothing seems wrong it shouldn't take too long.  Then I can go along with you and help investigate."  Liseth paused and got a thoughtful expression, "But if something is the matter I might have to talk with her for a while.  She runs a shop with her father, right?  I haven't met him yet, maybe I should ask him if he's noticed anything different with his daughter since the attack."

Liseth rode quietly for the next several minutes.  She looked up at where the sun was in the sky, then down at her saddlebag, before speaking tentatively.  "So, it's about lunchtime, I think...was anybody hungry?  I, um...I thought that it would take a lot longer to find a boar in the Tickwood.  So I brought food for everyone.  To have a picnic."  The girl blushed at her oversight, she probably should have mentioned this to everyone before they had set out.  But she had wanted to surprise everybody with a picnic when they stopped to take a break!  Liseth never realized that they wouldn't...she had a blanket ready and sandwiches to make and apples to be eaten.

But maybe everyone was more interested in getting back to town...

Kellan was cleaning off his knives with a rag as he listened to Liseth's offer, nodding a few times as she spoke,

"Well it would be a shame to waste good food, and I'm calling on the Vinder's shortly after we get back, I can walk you over if you would like, then I might take Shayliss on a ride out to my parent's farm to deliver some of this meat" he gestured with his head back towards the bulging sacks now tied off on Hakon's saddle.

"After that's done, I figure it will probably be about time to get back to business" nodding a little to Pisca as if to assure her that he had not forgotten their task.

He at last looked back to their host "With your blessings of course sir, you did arrange this whole event. What are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"Samiches?"  Pisca's petite gnomish nose began to twitch.  With a gentle adjustment of the reigns, she directed Nettie into a position next to Heily, a perfect place for the gnome to reach up and rummage in Liseth's saddle bags.  "Any roast locust sammies, Lysa?" she asked while, at the same time, pursuing a bit of self-discovery.

"Mmgbl," was the gnome's considered opinion after she nibbled off one corner of the first samich out of the saddlebag.  She handed it up to Liseth, nodding her approval.  "Iph fpiggle bruupph," she said with her mouth full, a stark contrast from the young lady of the night before.

Pisca too charge of handing out the sandwiches as they made their leisurely way back to Sandpoint.  Out of each, she took a bite, to ensure standards of quality.

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"You are most welcome, Cato," Aldern Foxglove said to the young wizard with what seemed to be the utmost sincerity.  "To tell you the truth, it is I who should be thanking you.  It has been long since I felt as . . . alive as I have over the past couple of days."  He smiled.  "As you get older, you will discover the unfortunate truth that life is a series of compromises you make with your more-virtuous self."  He sighed.  "In the end, you can only try not to compromise that self too badly."  He gave the scholar a strangely-hollow look.  "I truly hope you're never in a position where you have to make that choice."

The noble turned to Liseth and gave her a radiant smile.  "Milady!  You are too thoughtful.  But there is no need to stop in order to enjoy your provisions."  He gave Pisca a sidelong glance.  "It looks like Miss Pisca is skilled in both meal service and food tasting."  He laughed.  "Although for my part I think the chances that these particular items were poisoned are very remote."

Aldern nodded at the guardsman as he inquired about the noble's planned activities.  "I think I'm going to head back to the Rusty Dragon for the afternoon, Kellan.  I have a secret boar-preparation recipe that I have taken a solemn oath not to reveal, but I want you all to enjoy it nonetheless."  He grinned.  "I also have some business to which I need to attend before I head back to Magnimar.  And it sounds as if you have some important business of your own, am I correct?"  He winked.  "So I shall leave you to your devices until we reassemble for dinner.  Shall we say at the seventh hour after noon again?"

As they returned to Sandpoint, Aldern bid the party farewell and left with his menservants for the Rusty Dragon in order to oversee the boar preparation for that evening's repast.  Cato took his leave to go visit young Aeren Barett, and Liseth and Kellan rode for the Sandpoint General Store, leaving Pisca free to decide exactly what she wanted to do with her afternoon, which stretched before her like a golden land of opportunity.

OOC:  HEAD OVER TO THE SPLIT AFTERNOON THREADS; WE'll ALL MEET BACK HERE FOR THE BIG DINNER.

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This message was last edited by the GM at 06:46, Wed 16 Oct 2013.